Life on the Neverside
by isobeljones2000
Summary: (A Wizards vs Aliens fanfiction) Life on the Neverside is harsh and difficult to survive. This story looks at Lexi's experience so far from her home in the stars and how she copes. Will Nekross intellect find a way to survive? Based on the episode 'The Thirteenth Floor'. There will be Lexi/Tom.
1. Chapter 1

_Authors Note - Disclaimer: These characters belong to Russell T Davies, not me (sadly) Hope you enjoy this brand new fanfiction_!

The first night was the worst.

Lying on her back staring up at the ceiling, exploring with her eyes the unfamiliar grooves and marks above her, before realizing that she was no longer confined to the limited movement her armour would normally allow her and could curl up on her side instead, cat-like. Lexi - she couldn't bear to think of herself as Lucy - found it strangely comforting to rest her head on her arms, with her eyes closed tight, trying to imagine that she was at home.

But of course this wasn't home, and she was no longer Nekross. The foul magic of this place had transformed her from proud princess of Royal Nekron bloodline to this ... vile human scum. Every time she remembered this it was as if her heart seemed to drop into a bottomless chasm, as if there was no way back. But of course there would be a way back. As soon as they left the realm of magic she would be returned to her former self, Nekross, as she should be. That was the hope she clutched onto, possibly what would keep her going if... if they were there for longer than scheduled. Lexi couldn't help but gulp slightly at the thought of staying here for - how long? Months - years? She thrust that unwelcome thought out of her mind, swallowing her fears and turning onto her back to banish the ideas.

Everything was unfamiliar here: the dimly flickering light from the various candles around the room compared to the harsh unwavering blue light that dominated everywhere on the Nekross ship; the smell of the left over meat still steaming by the fire in the middle of the room. Lexi shuddered at the thought of the meat now sitting in her stomach, all the slimy fat and bits of gristle that she had consumed. How could humans willingly eat that stuff? She longed for the smooth revitalizing taste of magic to once again fill her body with warmth and happiness. But even when she had been back home - only a day ago though it felt much longer - it never lasted long, and the Nekross hungered ever more. It had been too long since she had properly had magic, too long since she had felt full. There was always that gnawing harsh feeling in the depths of her body - hunger. Maybe it was that hunger that spurred her on to do such terrible things to wizards every day, to deaden her emotions of pity for the prey and just do it. Nekross culture was rigid and there was no room for too much emotion. Maybe that was why she liked the human race, she enjoyed learning about all their rituals and variety in culture. Nekross never had that same feeling for her.

'But you're not Nekross any more, are you Lucy?' whispered a cruel little voice inside Lexi's mind. Lexi found that she was shaking, maybe from the shock and realization of what she had become. She pulled the thin ragged sheet that she currently lay under up over her shoulders, trying to stop the convulsing of her limbs. Eventually she passed into a troubled sleep, curled up into a ball underneath the sheet.

_I hope you enjoyed this first chapter of this Wizards vs Aliens fanfiction. If there's any fans out there, please comment for more chapters of this. Thanks! Izzy_


	2. Chapter 2

_Authors Note - Disclaimer: If I owned Wizards vs Aliens, do you really think I'd be writing about it on fan fiction_?

The first rays of sunlight crept into the shack, dappling it with broken spots of light. Lexi woke, disoriented at first and having to take a moment to recall her surroundings. Outside she could hear distant birdsong and a constant rustling of undergrowth. It was light enough to make out the silhouettes of primitive furniture: poorly crafted chairs, a dilapidated table and a spit over the smouldering fire, the embers still smoking slightly. There was a smoky smell in the room from the cooked meat on the spit. Lexi tried to breathe slowly through her mouth, trying not to gag at the unfamiliar smells that dominated her senses. Although Nekross had highly refined and stronger senses than humans, they also were able to block out nasty scents. Humans had no such feature, so every smell was acrid and over powering here.

Across the room from her, where Tom had slept last night, she could see only empty sheets. She fought the urge to call his name, needing any company right now, and instead swung her legs out of bed. Her trainers were soft and weak, Lexi guessed they wouldn't last long. And the clothes she wore - what was their purpose? They were liable to rip on every second branch. Nekross armour was made to last. Stop thinking about Nekross, Lexi, she told herself, feeling a lump in her throat.

Lexi stood up, nearly falling over again. Without the rigid armour to keep her straight and upright it was very hard to stay standing tall. She supposed she'd get the hang of it. She had always admired human culture and ritual, and indeed would spend many hours studying up on the Nekross ship, eagerly discovering more and more about what appeared to be an exciting, yet meaningless life. What would that be like, to just live life without purpose? Without having to hunt to survive? But there were certain things about the human body that seemed to serve no purpose. Hair, for instance, like she had mentioned to Tom yesterday. She fingered her own, Tom had cheerfully informed her that it was blond. Lexi found herself brushing it out with her slender fingers, still marvelling at the smoothness of her human skin.

"Lexi?" Tom stood in the doorway, looking at her in confusion. Lexi was standing in the middle of the cabin, fingering her hair. She immediately stood up straighter, smiling and acting like nothing had happened.

"Hello Tom. Did you, er -" What did humans talk about in the mornings? What was the end of the sentence that had automatically slipped out of her mouth?

"Have a good sleep?" Tom prompted her, smiling. Lexi nodded gratefully.

"Yes. That. Did you?"

Tom smiled ruefully. At least Lexi assumed the expression on his face was rueful, she wasn't great at reading human expressions yet. "It was all right. I kept waking up, thinking I was at home."

Lexi knew what that felt like. But her home couldn't be further from this - place, there were almost no similarities at all.

"Yes." Lexi stopped speaking, feeling a lump in her throat again and feeling confused. Did that serve any purpose? Tom seemed to understand, as he nodded at her and left the shack. Lexi was left trying to figure out what everything meant. Being human was hard work.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Wizards vs Aliens, because Lexi wouldn't be human right now and away from Tom if I was in control :(_

Lexi stepped outside, blinking in the bright sunlight. She could see the faint shimmer of Tom's magical border around the shack and couldn't help smiling. It was so beautiful. She knew magic was beautiful before, of course, it sustained their entire planet. But she had never had chance to properly reflect on the aesthetic qualities of it. Tom was sitting cross legged on the ground trying to make some kind of - thing with sticks? By the sun's position Lexi guessed it was around ten in the morning.

Should she actually go up to him? They were sworn enemies of course, so the logical answer would be no. But Lexi was human. Or Lexi's body was human at least, and she desperately felt the need to speak to someone. She would find Varg today, obviously, so she wouldn't have to stay with the wizard for long, but even so should she say goodbye?

Tom made the decision for her, when he looked around and saw her standing there. "You're up, then." Lexi could tell he was hesitant about what they should do around each other. Just yesterday Lexi had been pointing a gun at his head.

"Yeah." There was a silence, then Lexi added: "I'm going to go and search for Varg."

"Okay." Tom looked worried - for her or himself? Lexi found it difficult to read his face. She turned to leave.

"Good luck," Tom said. Lexi didn't turn around, but she did hear him and her mouth stretched in a smile unbidden by her. Were human emotions always so - impulsive?

Lexi headed into the forest, passing the border with ease. She assumed only magical creatures couldn't pass through it, but as she was Unenchanted as Tom put it, she wasn't stopped by the barrier. The last thing she saw before the undergrowth enclosed her view of the shack was Tom smiling in her direction.

Lexi searched through the trees for hours, calling her brother's name repeatedly until her new human throat ached and her voice was beginning to go croaky. There was no response. It was late afternoon sometimes when Lexi realised Varg couldn't be in that area as he would have called her. But what if he was hurt? As Tom had said, Varg had arrived last night - how long could that have been in this cursed land?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_Disclaimer - I really really really wish I owned Wizards Vs Aliens - but I don't. Bummer._

When Lexi returned back through the trees, Tom was where she had left him, still fiddling with sticks on the ground. She debated whether to just walk past him but her curiosity took over and she called to him.

"May I ask what you're attempting to make?" Tom glanced up, his expression annoyed.

"Well I was trying to make a bow and arrows..." he said. "But they didn't go very well."

Lexi shook her head, walking over to him and crouching down, forgetting momentarily that he was her enemy. "You'll never get anywhere by doing that. Let me." She took the sticks out of Tom's unresisting hands and began to twist them automatically, cutting a slot in one and feeding it through the other stick. Her nimble hands were even more quick in human form, without the armoured gloves hindering her progress. In barely more than five minutes she had crafted a bow easily. She handed it back to Tom who looked over it, impressed. "There you go."

"That was - that was amazing! How did you know how to do that?"

"I've been making bows since I was four, on Nekron. We hunt, you see." Lexi wondered why on Nekron she was telling a wizard all this but her treacherous mouth continued on babbling. "I used to make them all the time, before - well -" Before they started travelling the skies. Before they started destroying galaxies and planets. Before they extracted the magic out of innocent wizards. "Before we had - guns," she finished weakly.

Tom nodded, looking over the bow before handing it back to Lexi. "Here you go, you can have it. I don't actually know how to use it anyway. In fact, I'm not even sure why I started making one." Lexi felt like laughing, but tried to stop herself. They were enemies. She took the bow, testing its suppleness and weight. It was a good bow, like the ones she used to use when she went hunting as a child. Far too long ago.

"I'll make some arrows to go with it." Lexi took some longer sticks from the ground, and began to sharpen one with a stone. Tom, instead of getting up, stayed sitting there, just watching. It was slightly unnerving.

"Any luck finding Varg?" he asked after a moment. Lexi flashed him a look, to check whether he expected an answer.

"Obviously no. I wouldn't be here sitting next to you if I had found him, would I?" Tom looked suddenly hurt, and Lexi wondered what she had said. "Erm, I mean, no." Maybe she had been too sharp with the young wizard.

"Are you going to hunt?" Tom asked suddenly, after a long silence. Lexi considered it.

"I thought you didn't want to hurt magical creatures. Your wizard code or something?" Lexi asked quizzically. Tom looked embarrassed slightly but muttered something under his breath.

"We do what we have to survive," it sounded like. Well that was true, Lexi thought, smiling a sad smile. To her surprise she felt water in her eyes and blinked it away angrily. What was with these human emotions? More unpredictable than the Spring Worms of the Glades of Sigk! She had hunted them with Varg... if only he was here.


	5. Chapter 5

**Life on the Neverside - Chapter Five**

Disclaimer: Oh, the things I would do if I owned Wizards vs Aliens! [insert evil laughter here] But sadly, it is not to be.

Lexi sat on a rock by the campfire, toasting a piece of the wretched meat on a stick at arms length, trying not to grimace at the scents coming off it in curling smoke. Tom had helped light the fire, then had been oddly silent, gazing up at the stars wistfully. She shared the sky view, wondering at the expanse of glittering orbs of light covering the blackness. Lexi didn't want to break the silence, even though something in her desperately wanted to speak, just to make human contact. Was this why the humans seemed to have their infernal chatter all the time?

"When I was a kid, my gran told me that when wizards passed on, they turned into stars, keeping watch on those they'd left behind," Tom said unexpectedly. His voice was quiet and wistful.

Lexi looked at him, her brow furrowing as she frowned, trying to work this out. "No. Stars are luminous spheres of thermonuclear plasma," she corrected, looking up at the sky again. The stars were very bright tonight. She guessed she wasn't used to seeing them from Earth.

Tom gave her a slightly exasperated look. "It was her way of making me feel better about my mum." Lexi had no idea why he was sharing this with her, but said nothing. After a short silence between them Tom shook his head and looked up at her, adding: "Haven't quite got the hang of being human yet, have you, Lexi?"

Lexi considered this. No, she hadn't. Even after all her researching and data she had collected on the intricate planet beneath her, the many nights she had spent learning and finding out new thing about Earth - she knew she would never actually get used to actually being human. Her mouth seemed to have a mind of its own as her peculiarly chatty voice continued his conversation. "Not even sure I had the hang of being Nekross**.**" Lexi was different from the rest, she knew it. She strategized and planned, her wit and clever mind her key skill. Nekross like Varg were more common, the violent ones who led with their head. "It's hard, being seventeen."

Tom was evidently visibly surprised at this as he turned his head quickly to hers. "Hang on, you're seventeen?" Lexi felt defensive and tried to backtrack.

"In Nekross years," she added, flashing him a glance and knowing that Tom wouldn't understand the concept of their differences in year duration.

Tom paused, trying to process this new information. "That's practically the same age as me," he told her. Lexi gazed back up at the stars; she and the wizard were around the same age. She was shocked when Tom added another sentence. "I thought you were older."

Lexi's head swivelled around to glare at him and he changed his speech hurriedly. "I mean because you were so tall."

Lexi couldn't help but smile at the way he didn't want to offend her. "All children of the Royal Line of Nekron are tall." Talking about children immediately made her think of Varg and Lexi sighed softly. "Tomorrow I'll carry on looking for Varg. What's left of him." It was the first time she'd voiced her fears and Lexi internally cursed herself for inviting in those thoughts. Of course Varg would be all right. And he would have survived on the raw magic of this place. Easily. Tom was looking at her sympathetically and Lexi kept her gaze focused on the stars. Somewhere up there was Nekron. Somewhere up there was the Zarantulus. Somewhere up there was home.

There was a roar from deep in the forest and Lexi looked around cautiously, her eyes widening as she registered the dark and what may be out there. Tom was looking around as well, looking scared. He made to get to his feet, but the roar died away and Tom settled back down. It was a moment before he looked back at her. There was another short silence before he said tentatively: "Yeah, of course." He was looking down at the fire, unable to meet her eyes. "Then, I'll help you."

Lexi's head swivelled around to look at him again for the second time, and she felt surprised and shocked. "But I'm your enemy," she protested, not quite knowing why.

Tom's voice was certain now and he answered straight away. "Not any more."

Lexi felt herself smiling at him and she knew that they weren't enemies now. Not exactly friends either, not yet, but they weren't trying to kill each other. That was always good. They sat together in a companionable silence, watching as the light died around them and the forest noises grew louder in the night.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_Authors Note) Disclaimer: I don't want to own Wizards vs Aliens. Honestly. I don't secretly have dreams about what I would do if I did own it. Nope. _

Tom was walking very loudly, Lexi thought. Every step he made seemed to crack a few twigs under his feet and he didn't seem to hear it or try to walk quietly. She didn't want to jeopardize their already tenuous relationship by challenging him, despite the fact they were sworn enemies. Now she was technically biologically human, Tom could harm her with magic. Not that she thought he would, but spending the next few weeks with someone who hated you wouldn't be fun. Let alone - gulp - years.

Tom had made good on his promise to help her search for Varg. And, not that Lexi would ever admit it, searching with Tom was a lot better than searching alone by herself. She wasn't a superstitious person - Nekross didn't have fears - but there was just something about the forest that gave her the creeps.

Tom gave a loud cough, frightening away several birds in the trees above. Lexi rolled her eyes in exasperation. If they were hunting right now, they would be going hungry that night. Lexi was carrying her bow and arrows tied to her back, but that was just a precaution. It felt right somehow, holding a bow again. Nekross technology like ray guns and teleports were all well and good, but Lexi sometimes missed hunting like the old days. Just her and her brother, hunting with bow tensed and arrows ready, stalking through the forest. It was sport of a kind.

"Any sign of Varg yet?" Tom asked loudly in her direction.

"No," answered Lexi monotonously. She wasn't in the mood to talk at the moment.

"Do you think -"

"I am not one to make uneducated assumptions," cut in Lexi tersely.

Tom fell silent, following her through the trees. Lexi looked around quickly, hearing something, a rustle in the undergrowth, that wasn't natural. There was just bushes in her view.

"Varg?" she asked quietly to the bush. The bush, being a bush, didn't give much indication of anyone's presence.

"I don't think it's -" said Tom.

"I know! I know, all right?" Lexi cut in again, loudly. Louder than she had intended, actually. "I know it's not Varg. I know he's probably been here a hundred years already and his bones are lying in a ditch somewhere. I know I'm stupid to think we'll find him and we'll just go home, just like that."

"Lexi -" started Tom for the third time, but Lexi was in no mood to let him finish. She heard the rustle again in the bush and pulled back an arrow, shooting quickly into the bush without looking. An odd type of bird fell out of the undergrowth. It appeared to have three legs and a large beak with goggly eyes. Tom was staring at it, his eyes wide. But Lexi wasn't really concentrating on her kill, despite the fact it was the first hunt she had done for six years.

"Whoa," Tom said in apparent shock.

"Look, not Varg," said Lexi bitterly. "You were right. Clever wizard, you got it right."

"Lexi, please -" begun Tom for the fourth time.

But Lexi was already walking away.


	7. Chapter 7

**Life on the Neverside - Chapter Seven**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Tom, or Lexi, or Varg, or Benny Junior, or Jathro (though I wish I did)_

Tom found Lexi curled up on her bed, her knees held close to her chest. She was staring aimlessly at the wall, her expression hard and cold.

'Lexi?" Tom asked softly.

The Nekross sighed heavily before speaking. "M'fine. Sorry I lashed out at you before."

Tom was evidently slightly taken aback by her apology, that seemed fairly sincere. "Um - it's okay. We all have bad days."

"Guess that's true," agreed Lexi quietly.

"I got the three legged bird you caught," ventured Tom.

"Thanks. It's been a long time since I've hunted properly."

"It was a good shot," said Tom.

Lexi felt an odd feeling. She very rarely got compliments, so one was quite welcome here. "Thanks."

"It's all right." By the Ringed Moons of Nekron, this was awkward.

Tom was the one who broke the uneasy silence once more. "Do you want to go looking for Varg again, or -"

"No. Leave it till tomorrow." Lexi found enough willpower to flash a small terse smile at Tom, which he returned with his own crooked one.

"Okay." A silence. "You sure you're alright?"

"I told you, I'm fine," assured Lexi, trying desperately not to think of Varg lying somewhere in a ditch. The mental image refused to leave her mind. How long had they been here now? Three days in all? How long had Varg been here then?

"You want to help cook the three legged bird? I can get the fire going," Tom asked, sensing it was time to change the subject.

"Give me a minute," Lexi requested.

Tom gave a slight nod before leaving the hut. Lexi was thankful for that, she just needed a little time alone. She had always been with Varg on the Zarantulus, they worked together and got along on the whole. Even back on Nekron in the old days they had always spent time together, learning to hunt together. Just not knowing whether he was alive or dead, or whether he needed her help was difficult for Lexi. Just not being in her own body was difficult for Lexi. Who even was she any more? Not a Princess of Nekron, not really Lexi at all. Not really Lucy either. A fabrication. A lie, conquered up by this realm.

But she had Tom. She wasn't completely alone in this place. And Tom, for whatever reason, seemed to be forgiving her for what she had done in the past. He claimed they weren't enemies any more.

Did Lexi secretly, deep down, want that? Want them to not be enemies, but friends? To get along instead of try to kill each other? Her brother would call it blasphemy. But Varg wasn't here, was he? Lexi was free in this world. A different person, sure, but freer than she had been for a long time.

She might as well take advantage of that while she could.


	8. Chapter 8

**Life On The Neverside - Chapter 8**

_Disclaimer: I'm working on getting the rights to Wizards Vs Aliens, honestly. But until that happy day, I have to admit I don't own anything I write about._

The fire was going strong by the time Lexi had washed her face clean of all residue of tears ten minutes later, but Tom was nowhere to be seen.

"Tom?" Lexi enquired to the silence. Crackling from the fire was the only thing that answered her. "Tom?"

Oh God. Where was he? She had only left him for ten minutes or so. What if - what if that monster had got him? That Neverside monster? What if he had left the safety of the magical barrier and the creature had got him? Or some other terrible creature?

Then she'd be alone in a place she didn't understand.

And Tom would be gone.

"Tom!" she shouted, louder now, growing frantic, desperate. "Tom!"

Oh fiery rings of Nekron, he couldn't be dead. Or lost, lost in the depths of the Neverside. Lexi ran to the edge of the magical barrier, feeling the slight pressure it offered before pushing one hand through. She had to go and find him. No matter of the danger.

Lexi took a deep breath before beginning to step through the barrier of magic.

Until a hand grabbed hers and pulled her back sharply, yanking her swiftly backwards. She spun and it was Tom, unharmed, alive.

"Tom!?"

"Lexi?" Tom looked befuddled for a moment as Lexi stared at him, her eyes wide.

"Tom! You're - you're not dead!"

"Er - no. Why would I be?" Tom asked in complete bewilderment.

"You disappeared. You weren't at the fire, I thought you had -" Lexi couldn't complete her sentence. What was wrong with her?

"Didn't know you cared, Lexi," Tom smiled, and Lexi had to smile as well as she remembered him saying the same thing when they were captured by Gaunt.

"Don't be stupid, wizard. Don't flatter yourself."

"Oh really?" Tom asked sceptically.

Lexi shook her head. "No. Not really."

Before Tom could figure this out Lexi decided to change the subject quickly. "So where did you go?"

Tom smiled and took her hand. Lexi was shocked by this sudden contact and was struggling not to flush red. Stupid human emotions. At least no one could tell when she was blushing in her Nekross body. "Come on. I got something to show you."


End file.
